On April 13, an official opening of the customs post “The Factory of Avtoframos” of the Moscow South custom-house took place in the premises of the industrial enterprise Avtoframos in Moscow. The ceremonial event was attended by Alexander Zherikhov, Chief of the Federal Customs Service, Mr. Jean-Michelle Jalignee, Director General of the OJSC “Avtoframos” and other official persons. This customs post, with the strength of 23 officers, was set up for the purpose of customs clearance of component parts for industrial assembly operations of “Renault Logan” motor cars in Russia.

In fact, the customs post came in action at the end of the last year and, by now it has finalized drawing up of almost one thousand and five hundred of commodity customs declarations, enforced payment of customs collections to the amount of more than 434 million rubles. Execution of all commodity customs declarations is based on the “one-desk” principle within one work day.

In his address, Mr. Jean-Michelle Jalignee expressed the gratitude towards Russian customs officers for the assistance they rendered in implementation of this project, support to ensure uninterrupted operation of the plant, achieved as a result of minimum intermediation, cooperation and partnership. Teaching the plant’s professional staff to be familiar with specifics of customs clearance in the Russian Customs Academy was found important and useful by French colleagues. According to Mr. Jean-Michelle Jalignee, “In comparison with several days, previously spent for customs clearance, commencement of operations of the customs post has reduced this period to several hours”.

In the short term, the OJSC “Avtoframos” anticipates to sign with the Ministry of Economic Development the investment agreement on application of the CN FEA codes with reduced rates of duty in respect of the articles, imported with a view to industrial assembly operations as well as to send to the RF FCS the application for setting special simplified procedures for the enterprise in accordance with Article 68 of the RF Customs Code, and to take a number of other steps for maximum streamlining and facilitation of customs formalities.

Alexander Zherikhov, Chief of the RF FCS, noted that opening of the customs post in the premises of the OJSC “Avtoframos” is an event of an extraordinary significance. The RF customs service and the company “Renault” have developed business and constructive relations, the latter having been involved in realization of this project in Russia within several years. Not only this project is important for Moscow, but for all automotive industry of Russia as well. In turn, customs administration should provide facilities for attraction of foreign investments, for implementation of industrial policy and creation of competitive conditions equal for Russian and foreign business. This is the very goal of the Concept of advancement, which has been adopted recently with the view to development of customs authorities for the nearest years. “Just the other day, the plan has been approved in respect of supply of resources for the Concept, so we are confident in successful realization of all our forethoughts”, announced A. Zherikhov.

Regarding prospects for cooperation in the framework of the Avtoframos project, A. Zherikhov called upon the company’s management to switch over as soon as possible to electronic declaring of articles of importation subject to imperative integration of information resources. “Customs clearance must take neither days nor hours, but countdown minutes instead, while electronic declaring affords ground for this opportunity. As of April 1, 101 of customs authorities across the country carry out their operations with application of this progressive technology”, he went on to say.